


Drop Dead Dreaming

by LetoaSai



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dream Eater Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Haunted Houses, Keyblade Wielders (Kingdom Hearts), Keyblade masters in training, Magic, Multi, Mystery, Nightmares, Prompt Fic, Riku got promoted, new apartment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-19
Updated: 2021-03-19
Packaged: 2021-03-28 05:48:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30134934
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetoaSai/pseuds/LetoaSai
Summary: Riku's promotion to journeyman came with new lodgings. He was far to focused on his next goal of keyblade master to worry about his new apartment supposedly being haunted.Nothing was going to get in his way, at least he thought so until things started happening at home. Someone was trying to talk to him and Riku was starting to wonder if his ghost was even really a ghost.
Relationships: Anti Form Sora/Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Leon (Kingdom Hearts)/Squall Leonhart/Cloud Strife, Naminé/Riku (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Roxas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Vanitas (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Riku/Xion (Kingdom Hearts)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 20





	Drop Dead Dreaming

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: A guys moves into a house with 7 demons (link to prompt below) 
> 
> Things took a bit of a turn once i added Riku to the mix. 
> 
> https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/125792081_2142800582520718_4532099046484435375_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=730e14&_nc_ohc=u8-kPo1UxC4AX_Uyd5p&_nc_ht=scontent-lga3-1.xx&oh=55bb07fdb7486a315498e886dd68f6d7&oe=607AFFF7

Riku looked up at the apartment duplex with apathy, hiking the strap of his duffel bag up higher into his shoulder. It held basically everything he owned but that wasn’t terribly unusual for someone like him. 

The duplex was nice and was assigned to journeymen like him who would be working his way towards the Mark of Mastery exam. They were much nicer than the apprentice apartments and frankly, he was glad to get out of there even if he didn’t know what to expect. 

He’d walked up to the front door and hoped he hadn’t made a shitty decision with this one. He’d passed his journeyman test with flying colors and earlier than expected too. There hadn’t been lodgings waiting for him but he's wanted out of the apprentice apartments. He couldn’t stand living next to his neighbors anymore and was fed up with hotels. He stayed in those enough while working. 

Those wants had overcome the warnings he’d been given. Evidently, no one lasted long in this apartment. They said it was cursed. Supposedly it caused nightmares and induced stressed and no one could deal with it. Even Terra had only stayed there a week before putting in to have his lodgings transferred. 

Riku had thought it over and shrugged. He rarely dreamed and was always stressed so chances were good he wouldn’t even notice the supposed curse. It was fortunate those were the complaints he could deal with. He hadn't even had a nightmare for nearly a decade. Not since he was a trainee on a botched mission in the DreamScape. The thought that he might have one here was oddly alluring. Besides, it was a corner duplex and people would kill for those. 

With a touch of his own magic he broke the general ward on the door and knew he’d be spending the night replacing it with his own. House keys were a foreign concept to keyblade wielders who had a key that would literally open any door. Instead personal magic was used to lock their private residences. It was something they had to learn early. 

Riku in particular had too many bratty friends that would still try to break in. Once they learned about his promotion he was sure they’d try to invite themselves over. 

They wanted out of the apprentice apartments too. 

With the ward broken and the front door open, he half expected to find the place trashed as part of the metaphor of ‘cursed’ but it looked pristine from what he could tell. 

“Wow..” he muttered, pleased already by all the natural sunlight let in by the huge windows that were decorated with tiny colorful seashells on the windowsill.

The door led immediately into the living room. It was furnished with a brown leather love-seat and matching chair that surrounded a small coffee table. A bright red rug beneath it kept the hardwood safe. 

Hardwood… Fuck, he was two steps in the door and it already blew his old apartment out of the water. 

A TV hung on the wall and that felt like a novelty. He spent so much time training that he doubted he’d get to use it much. Beside the living room where the stairs that he set his duffel bag on in favor of finishing exploring the ground floor. The fact that there even was an ‘upstairs’ left him floored. 

On the opposite side of the stairs was the kitchen, which was admittedly small but it had everything he needed by way of a sink, oven, and fridge. He also couldn’t complain about it being split with a small dining area too. 

The table could fit four and it drew a sigh from him. His friends really would invite themselves over. 

Just past the kitchen was another tiny area, broken up between a half bathroom and a laundry room. He had his _own_ washer and dryer. He didn’t give a fuck if this place was haunted, he was staying. 

“It’s so nice…” he said softly to himself. He checked the cabinets and found it had a few dishes inside. Not a lot but plenty enough to get by on until he could acquire a few more things. Well, assuming he’d even need them. 

Riku sighed, he was not thinking about his next mission already. He was not. This was a day off... 

He looped back around to the stairs, grabbing his duffel and heading up the carpeted steps that did a half spiral up to the second floor. The first door he tried let him into the master bedroom which was also oddly furnished. Were all the journeymen duplexes this nice? The bed was at least queen sized and it had its own full bath attached. It had a long dresser, a writing desk, a bedside table, a closet and what in the world was he going to do with all this space. 

So far he had nothing on his to do list other than to get a quick work out in and take a shower. He was instantly torn about the attached balcony that overlooked the front of his duplex. He didn’t exactly like a secondary door in his bedroom. That was going to get warded to hell and back but being able to work out on the balcony was already so appealing. 

At this rate the place was so big he was surprised he wasn’t issued a roommate but if the place left so many before him unsettled then he didn’t imagine that would come up. The rest of the second floor did indeed have a second half bathroom and a second smaller bedroom. 

There was even another smaller room that could have been some kind of office? He didn’t need that. Maybe he could turn it into a library, not that he had much time to read these days. He did have books though...

He shook his head with another sigh. “This place is way too good to be true.” 

The words had barely left his lips before he heard a dull thud from the master bedroom, soon to just be _his_ room. He whipped around, keyblade drawn as he went to investigate. The duffel bag he’d left on the bed was now on the floor. It had probably slipped. 

With a calming breath he released his weapon and went to pick his bag up again. Maybe that was a sign that he needed to unpack instead of living out of a bag like he had been for the last three years. Maybe he should have listened to the warnings he’d been giving about this place after all…

Rolling his eyes at his own stupid thoughts, he decided to get to work. He unpacked, somehow having several sets of clothes shoved into one bag. It was mostly a mixture of both training clothes and mission clothes. If he was lacking anything it was casual wear. Only two pairs of shoes and a bag for his toiletries rounded out the contents. 

He had one towel so he was pleased to find more during his inspection of the bathroom. Most of his clothes were clean, just wrinkled. Hanging them up in the closet would help with that and no one would know if he tossed a little magic at them to help avoid ironing. 

Everything else needed to be washed. All underwear and socks for sure. He’d have to see if this place came with soap or if he’d be running out later tonight to get some. He could pick up food then too since he doubted there was anything here. 

He’d put in an order for sheets at some point too unless he found the time to grab new ones. He was used to staying at inn’s and the like so there was always something familiar about sheets that didn’t smell like him but if he was going to really try to live here, he should change out the ones on the beds. 

He didn’t have many _things_. There were no knickknacks really. He had a couple books and Kairi was keeping a few others for him. Those got dropped off in the office looking room down the hall. There was a short bookshelf on the floor that he lifted up to inspect. It looked like it was in good enough shape to use.

Finished with his upstairs chores, he went downstairs with his dirty laundry and a notebook. The clothes went right into the washing machine and he did find a bottle of detergent beside it oddly enough. It was opened but didn’t look old. It was likely left by Terra or some other tenant that didn’t last long. 

With the washer going he sat at the kitchen table and made a to-do list. It was weirdly next to the last list he’d made for completing his test into journeyman. Each task carefully checked off as he’d gone along. He’d completed another goal. 

He was finally a journeyman. Next step, master. That would take some time but he’d get started soon enough. 

One foot in front of the other. He shook his head clearly of thoughts and got back to his to do list. 

New Apartment

-Food 

-Laundry

-Sheets

-Soap/sponges. 

-Papers towels/toilet paper/trash bags

-Second phone charger. 

-Broom/mop

-Check pipes/electric 

-Wards

The list went on into a second column and he sighed. Moving into a place that was already mostly kept up to date by the academy meant he’d thought his needs would be minimal. His address had been changed for him. Most things like his internet were already set up for him too. That had been a huge help and the place being furnished had blown away his expectations. He didn’t expect to think of so many things he'd need so quickly. This place was far bigger than his last apartment and it was up to him to care for it while he was in that space. It wasn’t like he was planning to paint or anything but having the basic necessities would go a long way for making his life easier and… maybe making this place feel a little more like a home and less like a place where he slept between missions. 

Grabbing his phone, he took a picture of his list to take with him and headed out again, resetting the general wards on the front door and going to get a little shopping done. He wasn’t excited about going to the grocery store, hardware store, and whatever the hell kind of story it was where he could buy linens but they needed to be done. 

It was worse than training. He’d rather be training. It was a god awful four hours but he got everything done on his list. He had gotten food and all the supplies he could think of so far. He wouldn’t know what else he needed until… well, until he needed it.

When he shoved back in his front door he had bags in his arms and a phone pressed against his shoulder. 

“I only just got here today.” Riku complained. “I haven't had time to do anything.” 

Lea chuckled softly. “C’mon man, that’s the point. We’ll help.” 

“You’ll watch TV and order pizza.” Riku rolled his eyes, setting bags down on the counter. 

“Nah, i’ll talk Isa into cooking. He’s been waiting to make garlic bread for like three days now. We’ll pick up some stuff and make it there.” 

Riku groaned. “Don’t volunteer your boyfriend for shit just because you want out of your apartment.” 

“The apprentice dorms suck!” Lea nearly yelled. “Whatever man, we’ll be there in like three hours.” 

“I have not actually invited you.” 

“Lucky we’re friends then. See you later.” Lea chuckled and hung up. 

Riku heaved a sigh, sure Kairi had put the idea in his head to start with. She was good at that. All she had to do was mention a dumb idea in passing and Lea would be more then happy to put it into action. He didn’t know how Isa put up with him twenty four-seven.

“Ass.” Riku grumbled, heading back out to his car to get his next round of bags. He didn’t know how he could train for hours or how he could go on week long missions and feel alert and ready to go, but three trips to his car to bring bags inside left him exhausted and waiting for a nap. 

He started with the groceries, only putting away the cold items. He was sure Isa would sneer at where ever he put things and would rearrange things to his liking anyway. 

He tossed all fabric items in his room, he’d change them later and returned down stairs to shove all of the soaps into his laundry room. He was quietly still so pleased that he even had his own laundry room that he almost missed the clothes basket sitting in front of the dryer, his clothes folded inside. 

Riku frowned, checking the washing machine that had been running when he’d left. Sure enough, it was empty. “What the...fuck?” 

It wasn’t like he’d put things in the dryer and just forgotten. Everything warm, folded and ready for him to put them away. He hadn’t done that, he was positive. 

He looked around his apartment and started a search. From the kitchen to each bedroom to every bathroom. There was no one in the apartment. Next he checked the wards and he hadn’t adjusted those yet but the last magic to touch them had been his. 

Feeling a sense of unease, he pulled out his phone to text Lea. 

-Have you snuck in here already? 

It didn’t make sense. He didn’t have much in the way of valuables but nothing else had been moved or touched. Who else would come in just to fold his laundry. That was insane. He went as far as pulling out his keyblade to drawn out a tracking spell and still didn’t find anything unusual going on in his apartment. 

In only about seven minutes, which was quick for Lea, he responded shortly. 

-No? That’s the whole reason we’re coming tonight. 

Riku frowned. That was his only other explanation. If no one had been in here then how had his laundry gotten folded? He’d heard the house was haunted or cursed but haunted laundry? It was unsettling but not scary. He hated folding things… 

Tapping his phone again he scrolled through his calendar first. He was often told he was too meticulous but he often had his friends training and mission days jotted down alongside his own. He did it to make sure he didn’t call at an inopportune time and he was almost relieved to see Terra had the afternoon off today. 

“Hello?” Terra answered. “We weren’t meeting tonight, we’re we?” 

“Nah.” Riku said, still glancing around his house. “I moved into the duplex today.” 

Terra heaved a sigh. “I wish you luck. There was no way i was staying there another day.” 

“Right, you said.” Riku said, “But i don’t think i ever asked why? You’re no pushover. How did you get spooked out?” 

He grunted and Riku could hear him moving around. “Well i mean, it started off with little things. My things going missing. Things moving around. I’d find the windows open all the time after i was sure i’d shut them. Sometimes i swore i was hearing voice but i couldn’t make them out.” 

Riku made a face at that. He could understand how that would freak out some people. 

“The worst part though, was the nightmares.” Terra admitted after a pause. “Awful nightmares. Things i couldn’t just shake off and go back to sleep after. I’d wake up in a cold sweat, adrenaline pumping. Once i was up, i was up for the night.” 

“Right.” Riku muttered, having now spent the night yet he didn’t have that kind of experience. He wasn't even sure he _could_ have that experience. “And you were only here a week?” 

“Yeah. Next time we hang out, you can come here. I’d rather not go back there.” Terra said, not sounding the least bit sorry about it. “You’ve been there, what? A couple hours?” 

“Barely.” He’d been out for most of it. “Just…” 

“What happened?” 

“It’s stupid but i put a load of clothes in the washer and went for groceries. I came and they’d been dried and folded.” 

He was met with silence. “What?” 

“You heard me. I dunno what to do with this. It’s strange.” Riku said. “I thought it was Lea being stupid or something but he said it wasn’t. I come into a haunted house and my laundry gets done?” 

“Well…” Terra muttered. “Yeah, that’s strange. I didn’t have anything like that.”

“Strange…” Riku muttered, wondering if he could find out who else had been assigned this apartment for a time. “Well, i’ll see how it goes.” 

Terra hummed faintly. “If you need somewhere to go in the middle of the night, you can come here.” 

Riku frowned. “This place really freaked you out, didn’t it?” 

“Well, it was definitely not a good time.” Terra said. “Either way, the offer stands. You stay there longer than i did and i’ll take you and Aqua to breakfast.” 

“Yeah.” Riku snorted. “Sounds good. I’m going to go redo the wards.” 

“Whatever makes you feel better.” 

They exchanged goodbyes and Riku heaved a sigh. It was far too tempting to just forget anything weird happened at all. He could lay out of the couch and catch a nap before his friends showed up. He was however, a control freak and he’d need the wards done if he was going to get any peaceful sleep at all. 

Dropping his phone on the kitchen table he slid his notebook closer to check off the chores he’d done already and frowned hard when he found a little check mark already sitting next to ‘Laundry’. 

“What…?” 

~

Hours later, he was still working on the wards when a knock came. Nothing else strange had happened and he was nearly done for the moment. At least now he could put his friends to work. 

“Hey.” He said after opening the door to let his friends in. Lea was front and center, grinning wide as he led in Isa and Kairi. 

“Woow, this place is nice.” Lea whistled. 

“Nice? It’s gorgeous!” Kairi beamed. “Look at all the space. Consider me jealous.” 

“Hey Riku.” Isa actually responded. A grocery bag on his arm. 

Riku cracked a smile. “You know you don’t have to actually cook just because Lea whined right?” That got him an indignant ‘hey’ from the taller redhead. 

Isa just shrugged. “Don’t really mind. Consider it a housewarming.” 

“Thanks i guess.” Riku muttered. “I went shopping but i’ve been working on the wards, haven't had much time to put everything away and… where did they go.” 

Isa snorted. “Did you expect anything less.” Sometimes it was almost as if Isa was immune to their friends insanity. 

Kairi appeared suddenly yelling up the stairs. “There’s a laundry room!!” 

Lea’s voice carried from upstairs. “There’s a full bath!” 

“What?” Kairi’s voice went up and octave. 

“There’s a tub and everything!” 

Kairi ran upstairs to see for herself and Riku and Isa exchanged a look. 

“You’ll never be rid of them.” 

Riku groaned. “Can’t the rest of you hurry and and take your tests? Then you can have your own places like this.” 

Isa cracked a smile. “Seeing this place might actually motivate them to do just that. Kitchen through here?” he asked, walking across the duplex. “It is very nice.” 

“Was nicer than i was expected.” Riku said, wondering if he should talk to Isa about the weird things that happened earlier. 

“Riku!” Lea’s voice carried. “There’s so much space we could all live here!” 

“No.” Riku said automatically despite his voice not being loud enough for them to hear him. Isa just laughed softly. “I better go wrangle them.” 

He just heard Isa hum his agreement before he turned to take the stairs two at a time. “What are you two doing up here?” 

“You have extra rooms!” Lea grinned. “C’mon, you wouldn’t even know we were here.” 

“I very, very much doubt that.” Riku said. 

“Damn, i forgot your books.” Kairi said as she came out of the office room. “I’ll bring `em next time. I’ll bring you a plant too. Like a cactus or something you can’t kill.” 

“Like a succulent.” Lea teased, leaning against the door frame. “She’s right though. This place is super nice but you could use some homey touches. Some pictures. Some posters. Something.” 

“Posters?” Riku raised a brow. 

“Something.” Lea repeated, walking back into the master bedroom. “I meant the room is great but it’s sparse. Empty.” 

Kairi skipped past him. “I love the balcony.” 

Riku nodded and followed them in. It was a very nice feature. Before he could say anything, he paused, finding the old sheets crumpled up in the corner of the room and the new sheets and comforter he’d just bought on the bed. 

“Um…” 

“You could add a second TV up here.” Lea commented off hand. 

Kairi was already nodding her head in agreement, “Can get black out curtains too. Sunlight when you want it, dark when you want it.” 

“Um.” Riku repeated, pointed to his bed. “Did one of you…?” 

“What? Try out the bed?” Lea snorted. “Not trying to climb in your bed, man.” 

“I’ll try it!” Kairi beamed, belly flopping onto the bed a second later. “Dang, super comfy mattress. I am officially super jealous.” 

“Right.” Riku said slowly. He’d tossed the bag on his bed and he didn’t even see that now. Who’d made his bed? 

“So we can’t move in, fine, but we’re still staying the night on occasion.” Lea grinned. “It’ll be fun. Like when we were kids.” 

Riku shook away the shock and shrugged. “Maybe. I’ll consider it if you two help me finish up the wards. Isa’s doing the cooking so you two may as well help.” 

“Sounds good.” Kairi nodded. 

“What?” Lea whined but there was no real complaint there. He was happy to help, and dependable despite his groaning. He just had to be a touch dramatic about everything. 

Kairi pulled herself up from the bed, kindly not getting her shoes on the brand new sheets and she shoved Lea from the room. “He’s right! This is a house warming party and a congrats you passed your test party. We can help.” 

“Fine, fine.” Lea sighed as Kairi continued to nudge him down the stairs. 

Riku turned back to look in his empty room. He checked his dresser and closet and nothing else was out of place. What kind of haunting was this? It could have been a joke by this friends but he’d seen both Lea and Kairi change their sheets before. It was not their forte. 

“Thanks?” he said softly to the empty room. It felt ridiculous but.. Well, he’s already done it. 

He went back downstairs to find Isa already cooking and looking quite pleased. “It’s a nice kitchen,” he said by way of explanation. 

“Right.” Riku agreed slowly, partly feeling like things were slipping out of his control. “Haven’t done anything with it just yet.” 

Isa shrugged. “Still nice.” 

“These are cute, did you put them here?” Kairi asked, gaining Riku’s attention. She was nudging a few of the seashells on the windowsills. 

“Nah, must have been left here. I might just move them.” 

She shook her head. “I think you should keep them. It’s the kind of thing your place needs.” 

“Shells?” 

“Ambiance!” Kairi grinned at him. “I really gotta get you that cactus.” 

“Hey, i got something for you.” Lea grinned, diggint through one of Isa’s bags and pulling out a packet of plastic letters. 

Riku’s brows rose. “Are those magnets?” 

“Yeah, man. For the fridge.” Lea said, tearing the pack open and covering the fridge in the alphabet. Naturally his first word was L-E-A. “We’re gonna spice this place up, mark my words.” 

“With...children’s magnets.” Riku couldn’t help his smile and even Isa snickered. Well, whatever made them happy. There were worse things he could have brought. 

“Hey, there’s only one of every letter. How am i supposed to write my name?” Kairi feigned a pout. 

“Use the L?” Lea suggested with a laugh. Kalri. Kairl.” He was already laughing as if he’d come up with the most hilarious joke.

Kairi just snorted. “You’re such a dork.” 

“Where’s the garlic.” Isa asked looking around the counter. “I just had it. Lea where’d you put it?” 

“Didn’t touch it.” Lea said. “You know i don’t touch a damn thing while you’re cooking. I don't have a death wish.” 

“Well…” 

“There it is.” Kairi said, picking up a ziploc of fresh garlic. Isa just blinked at it but said nothing as he took it from her. Neither Kairi or Lea seemed to notice his confusion and went right back into happily bickering but Riku noticed. 

He watched the way Isa frowned at the baggy in his hands and was willing to bet that he hadn’t been the one to put it away and set it aside like that. 

That apartment was supposed to be cursed but so far he have some kind of the helpful ghost that helped with chores? Something definitely wasn’t adding up. Terra wouldn't have possibly been scared away by this. 

“C’mon.” Riku interrupted them. “Let’s work on those wards.” 

He didn’t know if it would help at all, but at least doing something made him feel better. The duplex was strange but so far it wasn’t a bad strange. He’d have to see if he could make it longer than Terra’s week. 

The rest of the night was spent with his friends. Warding, eating and just generally trying to relax. He didn’t even notice the crooked ‘H-E-L-O’ written on the fridge until the next morning.


End file.
